Apocalypse part II
In part one of the Apocalypse, I presented the perspective of a historical record of the events that would precede the apocalypse – the revelation of Jesus Christ. These events have been recorded in parts for many thousands of years, but we have a complete compilation of them in one physical book that is a thousand years old. The point of this is that in context we have a whole record of both the history of what has happened as it relates to the history of Humankind, and the prophecies that have surrounded those events. More important for our consideration is the understanding that prophecies concerning future times from these texts are also present in these texts. It may not require stating, but I will for the sake of absolute clarity; the fact that we have a 1000 year old physical text precludes the possibility of any tampering with the contents from a current perspective. This is the equivalent of a control in a scientific experiment, that which is fixed and does not change.
Further consideration: in many cases much has been spoken of the ancient mindset and the limitations of those times and the perceptions of those minds. I have no issues on this subject; at the time a prophecy was given, whether it concerned the writer’s imminent time or the far future, the Spirit was able to communicate precisely what was needed to be recorded, and the same Spirit makes it clear when a prophecy has occurred or is occurring: ie. that a specific event has to do with a specific prophecy and the record stands true as the event prophesied is presently occurring. There can be a question about the historical “prophetic” record being written after the fact of the actual event, and consequently the text becomes a moral story, not a historical/prophetic record; if the text is considered at all this will be the perspective of the sceptic or nonbeliever. These things said, this brings us to the present, and a thousand-year old text with prophesied events that clearly have not happened; but are they happening now, or are there clear signs that point to the events imminently occurring? This question presents us with valid reasons to consider the nature of the text, the nature of the Spirit, the nature of prophesy, and our own nature in regard to all these things.
Before we address these things, there are other issues relating to the text, issues that have nothing to do with the ancient mindset, but the modern one. I am referring to the volumes of prophetic interpretations of the text, specifically the prophecies, in our time, and the clear failure of those interpretations to get it right, much to the shame and confusion of the authors and the recipients of those interpretations. Whether they were received or scorned, the end result was a discrediting of the authors and a disparagement of the text, and of course a nulling of the purpose and effect of God and prophecy itself. The discrediting the authors may be valid, but not of the text, of prophecy, or of God. If prophecy is accepted in the context of the text, it is clear that prophecy is not usually and possibly always misunderstood, even by those receiving it directly at the time it is first given, and clearly by people in our own times. The question arises, “Why prophecy at all?” Again, in the context of the text presenting the historical record, and the nature and function of prophesy, the pattern is one of:
- Elohim foreknows the event and outcome and presents it to be recorded, usually first by spoken words which then become recorded …
- Then the events occur, validating the prophecy in historical time and space, which consequently locks in the body of the prophecy, which often contains other future events which have not occurred at the time of the canonization of the scripture.
- AND finally, at some point in the future someone understands the past prophecy written and recorded years earlier as being relevant to their time and circumstances, and hopefully get the text, the context, the present revelation and message correct from the same Spirit that delivered the prophecy in the first place, and this dynamic institution and procedure from Elohim is validated in the present, gloriously and convincingly. The clearest examples of this are contained in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel (so specifically in Daniel 9:1-2).
In summary for part 1&2:
We have a valid historical control to evaluate ancient scripture as a valid prophetic instrument for our time (part 1) and …
We have a context to consider the nature and function of prophesy that allows us to approach it rationally even if we have not had a convincing personal experience of its nature, function, or Source.
The ancient mindset or the present consideration of the prophesy are not the critical factors in relating to the prophesy, but the Spirit who enables their initiation and ultimate understanding, the Spirit who spans all time and space and individuality.
Part III will address the sceptic and unbeliever, the believer, and the Spirit who enables anyone and everyone to find common ground of understanding and perspective, and consequently to discuss this topic and these issues progressively and rationally.
